The Handmaid's Tale

Name: The Handmaid's Tale
Brand: Penguin Random House NZ
SKU: 9780099511663
Price: 21.0 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Margaret Atwood

0.0 (0 reviews)

4.15

( 2,349,294 ratings, 116,594 reviews)

Summary

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is set in a dystopian future where a totalitarian regime known as Gilead has replaced the United States government. The narrative revolves around Offred, a Handmaid, who is forced into reproductive servitude as part of the state's efforts to combat declining birth rates. Through Offred's perspective, the novel explores themes of power, control, and resistance in a society stripped of personal freedoms.
Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

$21⁰⁰

Elsewhere:

~~$23⁰⁰~~

OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

The Handmaid's Tale

$21⁰⁰

Elsewhere:

~~$23⁰⁰~~

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might like this book if you're drawn to gripping dystopian narratives that explore themes of power, gender, and societal control. Its detailed, thought-provoking storytelling immerses you in a future world where personal freedoms are severely restricted, inviting deep reflection on the implications for today's society. Perfect for readers who enjoy a blend of suspense, emotional depth, and social commentary.

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She has only one function- to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire - neither Offred's nor that of the two men on which her future hangs.

Compulsively readable' Daily Telegraph

Description

Compulsively readable Daily Telegraph

The Sunday Times No. 1 Bestseller

Discover the dystopian novel that started a phenomenon.

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She is placed in the household of The Commander, Fred Waterford - her assigned name, Offred, means 'of Fred'. She has only one function: to breed. If Offred refuses to enter into sexual servitude to repopulate a devastated world, she will be hanged.

Yet even a repressive state cannot eradicate hope and desire. As she recalls her pre-revolution life in flashbacks, Offred must navigate through the terrifying landscape of torture and persecution in the present day, and between two men upon which her future hangs.

'A fantastic, chilling story. And so powerfully feminist' Bernadine Evaristo

'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it' Guardian

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale is praised for its chilling and powerful feminist narrative. It is described as compulsively readable, showcasing sharp perceptions and intense imagery with sardonic wit. The book is recognised as both an exceptional work of science fiction and a deeply moral story. It’s also noted for being moving, vivid, and terrifying, sparking hope that its dystopian vision isn't prophetic.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099511663

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 October 2010

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 238g

Pages: 336

Collections

100 Great Reads 2025 Best Sellers Best Sellers at Book Hero Best Selling Books Classic Fiction Dystopian Fiction Education & Reference Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction Margaret Atwood Most Popular Books of All Time New Release Fiction Penguin Books Politics & Current Affairs

About the Author

Margaret Atwood is Canada's most eminent novelist, poet and critic. Her books include The Edible Woman, Surfacing, Lady Oracle, Life Before Man, Bodily Harm, The Handmaid's Tale (winner of both the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Science Fiction and the Governor-General's Award, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and made in a major film). Cat's Eye (also shortlisted for the Booker Prize) The Robber Bride and Alias Grace. Finally, The Blind Assassin won the Booker Prize in 2000.

Also by Margaret Atwood

View all

The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is a gripping and thought-provoking dystopian novel that has left an indelible mark on contemporary literature. Set in the near-future Republic of Gilead, a theocratic and totalitarian society that has replaced the United States, the story explores themes of power, control, and female subjugation. At the centre of this harrowing world is Offred, a...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$22⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$26⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
The Testaments

In this electrifying sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood answers the question that has tantalised readers for decades: What happened to Offred? THE NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER AND WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE In this electrifying sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood answers the question that has tantalised readers for decades: What happened to Offred? 'The Testaments is Atwood...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$26⁰⁰

(1)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
The Handmaid's Tale

The bestselling dystopian classic that became a cultural phenomenon and inspired an award-winning TV series. THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER Go back to where it all began with the dystopian novel behind the award-winning TV series. 'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it.' Guardian I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$20⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$24⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
The Year Of The Flood

Immerse yourself in the intricately woven dystopian world of The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood, a masterful blend of speculative fiction and biting social commentary. Set in a not-so-distant future where environmental disaster and genetic engineering have wreaked havoc, the story unfolds through the lives of two unforgettable women: Ren and Toby. Adam One is the enigmatic leader...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$27⁹⁹

(1)

Backorder
Ships mid August
Book of Lives

The life and times of one of the most important writers of our time, from her peripatetic childhood in the Canadian far north, through the writing of The Handmaid's Tale, to her position today as a revered truth-teller and literary icon. How does the greatest writer of our time tell her own story? Immerse yourself in the creative universe of...

By Margaret Atwood

Hardback

$59⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$75⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
MaddAddam

MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood, the illustrious author of The Handmaid's Tale and Alias Grace, is an astonishing conclusion to the speculative fiction series that began with Oryx and Crake and continued with The Year of the Flood. This gripping tale blends dark humour, adventure, and poignant humanity to create a thrilling and thought-provoking narrative. At the heart of MaddAddam is...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$25⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Oryx And Crake

By the author of THE HANDMAID'S TALE and ALIAS GRACE Oryx and Crake is a deeply imaginative and darkly compelling novel that transports readers to a dystopian future where genetic engineering has reached unsettling heights. The story follows Snowman, once known as Jimmy, who now lives in isolation, draped in old bedsheets and dwelling in a desolate tree. His world...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$25⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Cat's Eye

Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye is a profound exploration of memory, art, and the complexities of growing up. The novel follows Elaine Risley, a renowned painter, who returns to her hometown of Toronto for a retrospective exhibit of her work. This trip back to her past stirs up harrowing memories of childhood experiences. Elaine is compelled to confront the lingering spectres...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$25⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks
Alias Grace

From the acclaimed author of The Handmaid's Tale comes Alias Grace, a captivating historical novel now adapted into a major Netflix series. Set in the 1840s, this gripping tale is inspired by the true story of Grace Marks, a young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who was convicted of the brutal murders of her employer, Thomas Kinnear,...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$27⁹⁹

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks
Burning Questions

An exhilarating collection of non-fiction from the bestselling, double Booker Prize-winning phenomenon that is Margaret Atwood. The Sunday Times bestselling collection of funny, endlessly curious, and uncannily prescient essays from cultural icon Margaret Atwood. In it, she seeks answers to Burning Questions such as: Why do people everywhere, in all cultures, tell stories? How can we live on our planet?...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$35⁰⁰

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
The Heart Goes Last

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood is a gripping and cautionary tale set in a dystopian near-future where society is on the brink of collapse. Stan and Charmaine are a married couple struggling to survive in an economically devastated America. Forced to live out of their car, they grapple with precarious jobs and the constant threat from lawless gangs....

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$26⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
The Penelopiad

The series that began in October with Karen Armstrong's compelling A Short History of Myth continues, with electrifying new works of fiction from two of the world's most loved writers. Booker Award-winner Margaret Atwood, who has reworked the traditional telling of the Odyssey narrative, says, "I've chosen to give the telling of the story to Penelope and to the twelve...

By Margaret Atwood

Paperback

$27⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$29⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow

More from General Fiction

View all

The Wedding People

'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...

By Alison Espach

Paperback

$23⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

(3)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Dylan's Pick

Theo of Golden

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...

By Allen Levi

Paperback

$28⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$34⁹⁹~~

(5)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
New Release

On Mystic Lake

One of the greatest storytellers of our time - Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing Annie Colwater's only child has just left home for school in England. On that same day, her husband of twenty years confesses that he's in love with a younger woman. Left alone in the beautiful California house which was once a home, Annie...

By Kristin Hannah

Paperback

$31⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$38⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
New Release

Land

Inspired by the mapping of Ireland in the mid nineteenth century, Land, the new novel from the author of Hamnet, is at once intimate and epic: a portrait of a family navigating a legacy of upheaval and loss with love and hope. On a windswept peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic, Tomás and his reluctant son, Liam, are working for the great...

By Maggie O'Farrell

Paperback

$31⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$37⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Tim's Pick

Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set

The Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set by Brandon Sanderson is a landmark fantasy series that has captivated readers worldwide. Renowned for its innovative magic system, intricate world-building, and compelling characters, this trilogy is a must-have for any fantasy enthusiast. Immerse yourself in a world shrouded in ash, where a once-hopeful land is ruled by the tyrannical Dark Lord, known as the...

By Brandon Sanderson

Set

$68⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$75⁰⁰~~

(2)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
New Release

Lizzy's Pick

Yesteryear

A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE — Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE — Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE — Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS — Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale — Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...

By Caro Claire Burke

Paperback

$29⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$36⁹⁹~~

(2)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Signed Bookplate
New Release

Light Wielder

THE EPIC CONCLUSION TO METAL SLINGER, AKA THE BOOK WITH THE PLOT TWIST THAT BROKE THE INTERNET Sail the seas. Master the blade. Protect your heart. What would you do to have it all? READERS ARE GOING WILD FOR *METAL SLINGER* ‘The BEST plot twist to ever grace my Kindle’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The author is a mastermind. Romantasy is back!!!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐...

By Rachel Schneider

Paperback

$31⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$37⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
The Deal

Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Deal now for the perfect fake-dating romance! She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy . . . Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns...

By Elle Kennedy

Paperback

$24⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Project Hail Mary

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING NOVEL A BARACK OBAMA READING PICK A lone astronaut. An impossible mission. An ally he never imagined. 'The most enjoyable hard SF I have read in years' GUARDIAN 'Weir's finest work to date... This is the one book I read last year that I am certain I can recommend to anyone, no matter who, and know...

By Andy Weir

Paperback

$20⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$28⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
The Goal

Welcome to Briar U!Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy!Read The Goal now for the perfect forced proximity romance! She's good at achieving her goals . . . College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick...

By Elle Kennedy

Paperback

$24⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...

By Andy Weir

Paperback

$23⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$24⁰⁰~~

(4)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow
There Is No Antimemetics Division

Mind-bending science fiction about antimemes: ideas that attack memory, identity, and the fabric of reality itself. An antimeme is an entity with self-censoring properties. Some are benign, but others, less so... These entities can feed on your most cherished memories, the things that make you you—and you'll never even know anything changed. And they aren't just feeding on us. They're...

By qntm

Paperback

$31⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$38⁰⁰~~

(2)

In Stock
Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.